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Pace Sky+HD problems
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[Deleted User]
Posts: 22 Forum Member
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Hi folks,
Since the last update for this box before Christmas, my box has just got progressively worse and worse. It now crashes every other day or so; just locks up and won't respond to the remote, staying in playback or the channel its on, bring it ut of standby and the screen can stay black or blue or sometimes even the programme info banner but no picture. Generally its just incredibly slow moving channels and navigating the TV guide etc. Have rebooted, reinstalled firmware from satellite and rebuilt planner, all to no effect.
It doesn't seem to have been having problems with TV guide and series links (my parents DRX890 is).
I modded it to have a 1TB WD AV disk in it at new.
Are other Pace box owners having these types of probs? Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
Dan.
Since the last update for this box before Christmas, my box has just got progressively worse and worse. It now crashes every other day or so; just locks up and won't respond to the remote, staying in playback or the channel its on, bring it ut of standby and the screen can stay black or blue or sometimes even the programme info banner but no picture. Generally its just incredibly slow moving channels and navigating the TV guide etc. Have rebooted, reinstalled firmware from satellite and rebuilt planner, all to no effect.
It doesn't seem to have been having problems with TV guide and series links (my parents DRX890 is).
I modded it to have a 1TB WD AV disk in it at new.
Are other Pace box owners having these types of probs? Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
Dan.
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Though to be fair, the only problem I've noticed in the last week has been its horrendously slooooow response to commands at times. If I persist, thinking I've not pressed a key, it locks up so I have learned to be patient. Just now for example, while recording one channel then starting to record a second channel, it took 25 seconds to switch to the second channel (so I could watch as well as record it) after I'd commanded it to switch channels, from the EPG. If I'd kept on pressing keys, it would have locked up again!
But as my Tesco Pace is getting a bit long in the tooth now, and as I am now in the process of switching to BT Youview, I haven't reported this to Sky, who will probably just try to send me a new box and 12 month contract. Nope!
Your not alone
34 pages of unhappy users on the following
http://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-boxes/SKy-HD-Box-Keeps-Locking-Up-very-annoying/td-p/2176071
Thanks grumpyoldjoe and David_Ayling, I knew they knew about the series link/tvguide issue but not the Pace and apparently Samsung too. Appears we have to wait.
They could be as old as 2007 I think. Personally I would recommend an upgrade to newer/faster hardware such as the Drx-890.
Sky have been dragging their hands for months on this and only in the last week or two have they acknowledged that their is a firmware problem.
They have promised an update today when speaking to the Register but I suspect they had their fingers crossed at the time.
I agree,its 2015 so the Pace and Samsung boxes are old outdated equipment and need replacing
What next a swap out deal like the Thomson boxes ?
What's the situation like with getting new boxes from Sky these days? The offers on the My Sky account on the website suggests they'd want £149 for the 2tb box given I've already had the full pack basically since joining Sky right back in 1991. Is it a case of threatening to cancel before they make you a decent offer on new boxes?
Missing the end of recordings.
Very slow to boot and slow to navigate the menus from time to time.
Lock ups two or three times a month.
Sometimes certain functions just refuse to work until I reboot.
Having to turn off at the wall at least every two days now, mostly on a daily basis, for the same reasons everyone else is talking about.
Really poor stuff from a provider who charges a premium for their services.
Was thinking about changing box, but quite expensive, especially as it seems the problem could be caused by Sky upgrading software. My box is 5 years old, so should still last for several years .
Sky has announced that it will give an update on the problem this week (not necessarily solving it though). Of course, fixing the software issue (problems with epg etc) may not cure the boxes freezing.
I was quoted £499 - reduced as special offer to £249 + delivery for the 2T box, although I only asked for an upgrade, not because I was having problems with my Pace Box freezing. I have heard of others being given reductions in monthly fees by cancelling (not by threatening to cancel). They seem to get e-mails a few days before the end of their 1 month cancellation period. NOTE have to have ticked boxes on their account to receive Sky offers.
I was going by this text in the small print of the My Sky upgrade offers section:
"Sky+HD 2TB box: ...Existing Sky TV customers with the Family Bundle or other Sky HD subscription and new customers joining Sky TV with the Family Bundle are entitled to one Sky+HD 2TB box for £149. One discounted 1TB or 2TB box per household. "
Still seemed excessive given what we are paying them every month, but compared to what they quoted you that seems generous of them >:(
I have a Samsung box and have been having the same issues (as detailed on the now locked sky user forum).
I read a post somewhere that disconnecting the box from the internet seemed to help. So, last night I removed the wired ethernet connection from my box.
The box immediately seemed to operate faster, with a noticeably reduced lag on button presses. So far, I'm nearly 2 days in with no further issues.
Obviously, this is no fix for those with on demand or who use their box for catch up TV, but it may help someone.
I think the £149 is for upgrading to the 2T box from a non Sky+HD box, and would have an increase in charges. I saw this price £149 on my screen, but when I looked in my personal upgrade section, no mention of upgrading to 2T at all.
I believe if you are a long time customer and are prepared to be persistent enough then its definitely possible to get this F.O.C. I'd recommend you contact them by email.
So today I phoned Sky with the aim of getting a replacement at as low a cost as poss or I go to Virgin who will give me a 500GB TIVO box free.
The options given were not that appealing.
1 Take up Multi room £11.25 p/m
2 Have a callout £65 and get a refurb (3mth warranty)
3 Take out insurance with an insurance co they push and make a claim £60.
I asked to cancel and was passed to another guy. Went through every again to be told they could only offer what was on the screen. The same as above.
So after half an hour in all I cancelled. The laugh is the second guy asked if I really wanted to end my long loyalty (13 years). I replied my loyalty gets me nothing, a new customer will get a box free.
He tried his best to knock Virgin. With Sky I own the box!? Own a pile of crap. And if my TIVO fails after a year it will be replaced. But if I poor liquid on my TIVO box I will be liable for the cost. Also said Virgins picture is not as good and they will put up the priced after a year.
I've switched suppliers before so not concerned, it's Sky's business model which shocks me most. I guess if I called saying I need to reduce costs they would discount. But asked for a working box to watch their service and keep my money seems too much.
Which update (firmware version)? Is it R010.070.58.13P ?
And which Digibox (number on the label)?
Did you buy the Pace yourself e.g. from Tesco? Or did you get it from Sky on a subsidised deal?
Because AFAIK if you've never had a Sky+HD box subsidised from them i.e. bought it yourself at the time when you could, or off Ebay, you can get one as if a new customer.
That's how it was a few years ago anyway when I made thet exact enquiry - but they had to refer upwards for clarification and it took them a while to come back with the answer. In the end, I declined because the Pace was working well back then (though Sky had tried to scare everyone into thinking there was a major issue that needed fixing) but the offer was there (eventually).
Now that my Pace is finally getting long in the tooth I'm not going to try again because I am moving to BT Youview + Now TV, it will save me quite a lot of money due to mainstream Sky's compulsory £21.50 basic package before you can do anything else.
I think there are probably tens of thousands of these boxes out there and they would be reluctant to set a precedent. I would, however, wager that dthompso gets a call before the 30 day cancellation period is up.
I've just disconnected my pace box from plug in wireless internet to see if that makes any difference.
Incidentally I raised an issue with Sky yesterday (online). Got a text message from them that they tried to contact my by landline & mobile - Didn't answer mobile ( as I was driving at time), so they just closed issue. Didn't even bother leaving message on answer phone ( on landline & mobile). Thought it was very nice of them.